Game apparatus and game controlling method

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus possesses a symbol display controlling function, a parameter controlling function and a granting function. The symbol display controlling function makes one or a plurality of symbols randomly displayed. The parameter controlling function increases a value of a parameter which has been set in advance in correspondence with a displayed number of predetermined symbols in a plurality of parameters in accordance with a result of display of the symbol(s) by the symbol display controlling function. When the value of the parameter has reached a predetermined value, the granting function grants a privilege according to the parameter which has reached the predetermined value concerned. The game apparatus realizes a game of higher entertaining property.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/544,783, filed Jul. 19, 2017, which is the U.S. national phase of theInternational Patent Application No. PCT/JP2016/064549, filed May 17,2016, the contents of all being incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a game apparatus and a gamecontrolling method.

BACKGROUND

Recently, various game apparatuses have been developed. For example, inJapanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-024139, a game apparatuswhich displays some of virtual reels on a display unit and spins themand thereby makes playing of a slot game possible under the control of acomputer is disclosed. In such a slot game, the game apparatus spins aplurality of the reels in accordance with an operation of a player andsequentially stops the respective reels, and displays a combination ofsymbols on the reel on the display unit. Thereafter, the game apparatusgrants a privilege to the player on the basis of the kinds andarrangement of the symbols displayed on the display unit.

SUMMARY

The entertaining property of the game is a major matter of concern forthe player and the entertaining property of the game is greatly changeddepending on what kind of privilege is granted under which condition.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and thesubject thereof is to provide a technique pertaining to the game ofhigher entertaining property.

A game apparatus in one aspect of the present disclosure is the gameapparatus which has possessed a control unit and a storage unit and thecontrol unit is configured to execute a program stored in the storageunit and thereby to realize a symbol display controlling function ofmaking it display one or a plurality of symbol(s), a parametercontrolling function of making it increase a value of a parameter whichhas been set in advance in correspondence with a displayed number ofpredetermined symbols in a plurality of parameters which has been set inadvance in accordance with the displayed symbol and a granting functionof, when the value of the parameter has reached a predetermined value,granting a privilege according to the parameter which has reached thepredetermined value concerned.

A game controlling method in one aspect of the present disclosure is thegame controlling method which is performed by a game apparatus which haspossessed a control unit and a storage unit and comprises that thecontrol unit executes a program stored in the storage unit and therebyperforms a symbol display controlling step of making it display one or aplurality of symbol(s), a parameter controlling step of making itincrease a value of a parameter which has been set in advance incorrespondence with a displayed number of predetermined symbols in aplurality of parameters which has been set in advance in accordance withthe displayed symbol and a granting step of, when the value of theparameter has reached a predetermined value, granting a privilegeaccording to the parameter which has reached the predetermined valueconcerned.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide atechnique relating to a game of higher entertaining property.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in the drawings,in which:

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a game apparatus in oneembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating main hardware configurations ofthe game apparatus in one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a screen to bedisplayed on a display device in one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating main functional configurations ofthe game apparatus in one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for describing processing by the game apparatus inone embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiments whichwill be described in the following are merely illustrative and there isno intention of excluding application of various alterations andtechniques which are not clearly described in the following. That is,the present disclosure may be performed by altering it in a variety ofways (combining together the respective embodiment and so forth) withina range not deviating from the gist thereof. In addition, in thefollowing description of the drawings, the same or similar parts areindicated by assigning the same or similar symbols thereto. The drawingsare schematic ones and are not always consistent with actual dimensions,ratios and so forth. There are cases where parts that mutual dimensionalrelations and ratios are different from one another also among thedrawings are included.

In the following, a game apparatus and a program in the embodiments ofthe present disclosure will be described using the drawings.

External Configuration Example of the Game Apparatus

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the game apparatus in theembodiment. A game apparatus 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 is the gameapparatus to be installed in a casino, an amusement facility and soforth. In the present embodiment, it becomes possible for a player toplay a slot game by the game apparatus 100.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the game apparatus 100 possesses a loudspeaker101, a plurality of display devices 102, a plurality of operationbuttons (in the following, called an “operation input device” 103), acard reading device 104, a bill putting-in device 105, and a ticketejecting device 106 in appearance. The loudspeaker 101 is sound outputmeans which outputs speech guidance, sound effects and so forth of agame. The display device 102 is display means which displays images (forexample, a still image, a moving image, a video image and so forth) forexpressing or dramatizing the game. The operation input device 103 isconfigured by the plurality of buttons and the buttons are adapted toinput instructions from the player into the game apparatus.Incidentally, the operation input device 103 is not limited to such aconfiguration and may have any configuration if it is the configurationwhich enables the player to input the instructions. The card readingdevice 104 is a card reader which reads information out of a card thatthe player holds. The bill putting-in device 105 is a device which readsbills and tickets which have been put into it. The ticket ejectingdevice 106 is ticket output means which ejects the card to the player.

The card which is read by the card reading device 104 is a medium inwhich play information of the player has been stored. It is possible toadditionally store, for example, points and so forth which have beenacquired depending on a playing situation of the player into the card.Although it is possible for the player to obtain various kinds ofservice in accordance with the information stored in the card, memorycontent in the card does not exert influence on a play result.

Hardware Configuration Example of the Game Apparatus

An example of the hardware configurations of the game apparatus 100 willbe described with reference to FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 2, thegame apparatus 100 possesses a computing device 200, the loudspeaker101, the display device 102, the operation input device 103, the cardreading device 104, the bill putting-in device 105 and the ticketejecting device 106 as the hardware configurations.

The computing device 200 is a control device which all-inclusivelycontrols the game apparatus 100. The computing device 200 in the presentembodiment comprises a control unit 201, a storage device 204, a voiceprocessing unit 205, an image processing unit 206, a communication unit207, and a peripheral device interface 208 as the main hardwareconfigurations.

The control unit 201 comprises a CPU (Central processing Unit) 202 and amemory 203. For example, the CPU 202 executes a predetermined softwareprogram (for example, a game software program) which has been stored inthe memory 203 and the storage device 204 and so forth and thereby thecomputing device 200 controls processes and operations of other hardwareconfigurations and functions as means for realizing various functions.That is, the computing device 200 executes the predetermined programunder the control of the control unit 201 and thereby realizes a gamefunction in cooperation with other hardware. Incidentally, only the mainconfigurations that the computing device 200 possesses are illustratedin FIG. 2 and the computing device 200 possesses other configurationsthat a general information processing device possesses.

The storage device 204 is configured by a hard disk and so forth. Datareading and writing are performed on the storage device 204 by thecontrol unit 201. Data such as the software program and so forthrequired for processing in the computing device 200 is written into thestorage device 204 and in addition data on a result of processingconcerned is written into it. The voice processing unit 205 performsvarious kinds of sound processing under the control of the control unit201. The image processing unit 206 performs various kinds of graphicsprocessing under the control of the control unit 201. The communicationunit 207 is an interface which makes communication with a server andother game apparatuses possible. The peripheral device interface 208 isan interface which makes communication between the computing device 200and peripherals such as the operation input device 103, the card readingdevice 104, the bill putting-in device 105 and the ticket ejectingdevice 106 and so forth possible.

Game Content Example

Next, one example of the content of a game playing of which is madepossible for a user by the game apparatus 100 of the present embodimentwill be described. The game apparatus 100 develops the game softwareprogram which has been stored in the storage device 204 and so forth onthe memory 203 and executes it under the control of the control unit 201and the various configurations that the game apparatus 100 has arecontrolled, and thereby this game is realized.

First, the player puts the card that he holds into the card readingdevice 104 of the game apparatus 100 and/or puts a coin into the billputting-in device 105 in order to start the game. When the card or thecoin has been put into it, it becomes possible for the player to holdcredit according to the card balance or the coin in the game.

Then, the game apparatus 100 makes a bet screen through which the playerbets on the slot game display on the display device 102. The gameapparatus 100 starts the slot game in accordance with betting and startinstructions by the player. In the following description, the gameplaying of which becomes possible by putting the coin and so forth intoit so as to pay money for it in this way will be called a “normal game”.On the other hand, a game playing of which becomes possible free ofcharge without paying money for it will be called a “free game” in thefollowing description. In the normal game or the free game, first, thegame apparatus 100 rotates a plurality of virtual reels (for example, 5reels. In the following, the virtual reels will be also called the“reels” simply.) and stops rotation at a random timing reel by reel.After stopped, a part of each reel is displayed on the display device102.

An exemplary screen 30 to be displayed on the display device 102 isillustrated in FIG. 3. The screen 30 comprises a region 30 a and aregion 30 b. An example of display of symbols (patterns) indicated onthe part of each reel after rotation of the reels has been stopped isillustrated in the region 30 b. In this example, the display device 102displays 5 reels of reels 31 to 35 in the region 30 b. 4 symbols aredisplayed on each reel. In addition, a plurality of kinds of symbols isdisplayed on the reel and symbols S1, S2, S3, S4 are displayed in thisexample.

Various privileges are granted to the player in accordance with whethera way of arraying the symbols which have been displayed on the displaydevice 102 in this way after rotation of the reels has been stoppedfollows a line (a pay line) which has been set in advance (or selected)or not. In addition, points (values of parameters) are accumulated inaccordance with a number that the predetermined symbol has beendisplayed on the display device 102 after rotation of the reels has beenstopped and the various privileges are granted to the player inaccordance with the accumulated points concerned.

The region 30 a is a region adapted to display the value of theparameter which is accumulated in accordance with the displayed numberof predetermined symbols in the region 30 b after rotation of the reelshas been stopped. Gauges 36, 37, 38 are displayed in the region 30 a.Each of the gauges 36, 37, 38 is a gauge adapted to indicate theaccumulated value for each of different parameters. Each of the gauges36, 37, 38 is set in correspondence with the displayed number of thepredetermined symbols in the region 30 b after rotation of the reels hasbeen stopped. In this example, the gauge 36 is a gauge which indicatesthe value of the parameter which is accumulated (increased) when 5symbols S1 have been displayed in the region 30 b. The gauge 37 is agauge which indicates the value of the parameter which is accumulated(increased) when 4 symbols S1 have been displayed in the region 30 b.The gauge 38 is a gauge which indicates the value of the parameter whichis accumulated (increased) when 3 symbols S1 have been displayed in theregion 30 b.

For example, in a case where 5 symbols S1 have been displayed in theregion 30 b after rotation of the reels has been stopped, a star-shapedsymbol is additionally displayed on the gauge 36 in the region 30 a andthereby the value of the parameter is increased. That is, theaccumulated value of the parameter is indicated on the gauge 36 in theform of the number of the star-shaped symbols. In the exampleillustrated in FIG. 3, when 6 star-shaped symbols have been displayed onone gauge (that is, when the value of the parameter has reached apredetermined value), the privilege is granted to the player. Theprivilege to be granted is made different according to which parametervalue has reached the predetermined value.

Though there is no particular limitation, for example, the credit andthe free game are granted as the privileges. In addition, the privilegesof various values from a big win to a small win are set in accordancewith the arrangement and the kinds of the symbols which have beendisplayed.

In the following, the free game will be further described. When thearrangement and the kinds of the symbols which have been displayed onthe display device 102 after spinning of the reels has been stopped inthe normal game have satisfied a predetermined condition, the gameapparatus 100 shifts to a state of making playing of the free gamepossible. That is, when the arrangement of the symbols displayed and thepoints so accumulated as described above have satisfied thepredetermined condition, the right to play the free game is granted tothe player. The above-mentioned predetermined condition will bedescribed later. Thereafter, it becomes possible for the player tocontinuously play the free game the predetermined number of times (forexample, 5 times). Also in the free game, various privileges such as thecredit, retrigger and so forth are granted to the player in accordancewith the way of arraying the symbols and the arrangement of thepredetermined symbols after rotation of the reels has been stopped.Here, the retrigger is the privilege that it becomes possible to playthe free game further the predetermined number of times (for example, 5times).

When playing of all the free games is completed, the game apparatus 100again shifts to the state of making playing of the normal game possible.Incidentally, the time from when betting or the start instructions bythe player becomes possible until when presence/absence of granting ofthe privilege becomes clear in accordance with the stop positions of thereels is defined as one game unit. After presence/absence of granting ofthe privilege in a first game has become clear, it becomes possible forthe player to make a bet or to perform instructions of the start in asecond game following the first game.

Functional Configuration Examples of the Game Apparatus

Next, examples of the functional configurations of the game apparatus100 of the present embodiment will be described.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the functional configurations ofthe game apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. As illustrated in thedrawing, the game apparatus 100 mainly possesses a database 410, aprogress control unit 420, a reel control unit 430, a parameter controlunit 440, and a privilege granting unit 450 as the functionalconfigurations. For example, the control unit 201 develops the gamesoftware program which has been stored in a storage unit such as thestorage device 204 and so forth on the memory 203 and executes it andthereby these functional configurations are realized by cooperationbetween the program (the software) and the hardware that the gameapparatus 100 has. Incidentally, although the game apparatus 100 hasother functions that a general game apparatus has, other than thefunctions illustrated in FIG. 4, description thereof is omitted here.

The database 410 stores various kinds of information such as informationwhich is necessary for processes executed by the game apparatus 100 andinformation which has been generated by the processes concerned and soforth. The database 410 stores, for example, a control software programfor controlling the progress of the game, image (for example, the stillimage, the moving image, the video image and so forth) data and sounddata for expressing or dramatizing the game, and data pertaining to thestate of the game which is in progress and so forth.

The progress control unit 420 performs a process for controlling theprogress of the game in accordance with the operation to the gameapparatus 100 by the player of the game and the control software programstored in the database 410. In particular, the progress control unit 420performs control of the progress of the normal game, control ofswitching from the normal game to the free game, control of the progressof the free game and control of switching from the free game to thenormal game of the slot such as that described above.

For example, the progress control unit 420 controls the privilegegranting unit 450 which will be described later so as to enter the stateof making playing of the free game possible or so as to grant the rightto play the free game to the player at a desired timing when theparameter and so forth which have been accumulated in accordance withthe symbols which have been displayed on the display device 102 afterrotation of the reels has been stopped in the normal game satisfy thepredetermined condition. When it has entered the state of making playingof the free game possible, the progress control unit 420 controls so asto continuously execute the free game the predetermined number of times(for example, 5 times). Here, granting of the right to play the freegame to the player specifically means that the privilege granting unit450 stores data indicating that it is possible for the player concernedto play the free game into the database 410 in accordance with, forexample, the control of the progress control unit 420.

Thereafter, the progress control unit 420 refers to the database 410 andspecifies whether it is possible for the player concerned to play thefree game or not on the basis of the data concerned and, in a case whereit is possible, controls playing of the free game. In addition, theabove-mentioned controls by the progress control unit 420 are performedin accordance with results of the processes by the reel control unit430, the parameter control unit 440 and the privilege granting unit 450which will be described later.

The reel control unit 430 controls spinning and stopping of the reelsand display of the video image of the reels concerned on the displaydevice 102 in the slot game. The images of the plurality of symbols areindicted on the surfaces of the reels and the reel control unit 430controls so as to display some symbols in the plurality of symbolsconcerned on the display device 102.

While the reels are spinning, the reel control unit 430 displays thesymbols indicated at the positions according to spinning in theplurality of symbols indicated on the reels while sequentially scrollingthem and thereby sequentially changes the display on the display device102. Thereafter, the reel control unit 430 controls so as to stopscrolling of the display by stopping spinning of the reels at thepredetermined timing. The reel control unit 430 is capable ofdetermining, for example, the stopping positions of the reels randomly.

In the case of the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the reel control unit430 controls spinning and stopping of each of the 5 reels. In addition,in FIG. 3, in the plurality of the symbols indicated on one reel, 4symbols are displayed on the display device 102. Accordingly, in thisexample, in the plurality of symbols indicated on the 5 reels, 20symbols in total are displayed on the display device 102 by the controlof the reel control unit 430. That is, the reel control unit 430functions as symbol display control means adapted to control so as todisplay one or the plurality of symbol(s) on the display device 102randomly.

The parameter control unit 440, first, decides whether a result ofdisplay of the symbols for every game (the normal game or the free game)by the reel control unit 430 satisfies a predetermined condition (forexample, the condition for the displayed number of the predeterminedsymbols). When it satisfies the condition concerned, the parametercontrol unit 440 controls so as to increase the value of the parameterwhich has been set in advance in correspondence with the displayednumber of the predetermined symbols in the aforementioned plurality ofparameters which has been set in advance in accordance with the resultof display concerned. As previously described with reference to FIG. 3,the plurality of parameters is provided and in the plurality ofparameters, the value of the parameter according to the displayed numberof the predetermined symbols in the region 30 b after rotation of thereels has been stopped is accumulated. Each of the plurality ofparameters is set in correspondence with each of different displayednumbers (for example, the displayed numbers 3, 4 and 5) of thepredetermined symbols after rotation of the reels has been stopped.

For example, when 5 predetermined symbols (for example, the symbol S1 inFIG. 3) have been displayed on the display device 102 after rotation ofthe reels has been stopped by the control of the reel control unit 430,the parameter control unit 440 increases the value of the parameterwhich has been set in correspondence with the displayed number 5.Incidentally, an amount of increase of the value of the parameter by theparameter control unit 440 may be fixed and/or may be determined bydrawing lots. For example, lots-drawing is performed every time rotationof the reels is stopped and it is allowed to determine the amount ofincrease of the value of the parameter in accordance with a result ofthe lots-drawing concerned.

The privilege granting unit 450 controls so as to grant variousprivileges to the player in accordance with whether the way of arrangingthe symbols which have been displayed on the display device 102 forevery game follows the line (the pay line) which has been set (orselected) in advance. In addition, when the value of the parameter whichhas been increased in accordance with a result of each game by theparameter control unit 440 has reached the predetermined value, theprivilege granting unit 450 controls so as to grant the privilege whichhas been set in advance in correspondence with the parameter which hasreached the predetermined value concerned. Granting of the privilegespecifically means that, for example, the privilege granting unit 450stores data indicating that it is possible for the player who willreceive granting of the privilege to utilize the privilege concernedinto the database 410. For example, the credit and the right to play thefree game are granted to the player as the privileges.

According to the present embodiment, when the value of the parameterwhich has been accumulated in accordance with the result of each gamehas reached the predetermined value in addition to the case where theway of arranging the symbols which have been displayed on the displaydevice 102 for every game follows the line (the pay line) which has beenset (or selected) in advance, the privilege which has been set inadvance in correspondence with the parameter which has reached thepredetermined value concerned is granted in this way. As a result, it isallowed to stepwise raise expectations of the player for the privilegesthroughout the plurality of games. Accordingly, it is allowed to realizethe game of higher entertaining property.

In addition, the privilege granting unit 450 controls so as to grant amore valuable privilege as the displayed number of the predeterminedsymbols which has been set in advance in correspondence with theparameter which has reached the predetermined value is increased. Forexample, in the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the parameters which arerespectively indicated on the gauges 36, 37, 38 are respectively set inadvance in correspondence with the displayed numbers 5, 4, 3 of thesymbol S1. At this time, it is controlled such that the more valuableprivilege is granted when the value of the parameter which has been setin correspondence with the displayed number 5 has reached thepredetermined value than when the value of the parameter which has beenset in correspondence with the displayed number 4 or 3 has reached thepredetermined value.

In this example, in a case where the privilege is the right to play thefree game, the right to play the free game the larger number of times asthe displayed number of the symbols S1 which has been set in advance incorrespondence with the parameter which has reached the predeterminedvalue is increased is granted as the privilege. That is, in the examplein FIG. 3, it is allowed to control such that in a case where theparameter indicated on the gauge 36 has reached the predetermined value(in a case where 6 stars have been saved), the right to play the freegame 5 times is granted to the player, in a case where the parameterindicated on the gauge 37 has reached the predetermined value, the rightto play the free game 2 times is granted to the player, and in a casewhere the parameter indicated on the gauge 38 has reached thepredetermined value, the right to play the free game 1 time is grantedto the player.

In addition, after the privilege according to the parameter which hasreached the predetermined value has been granted by the privilegegranting unit 450, the parameter control unit 440 is able to clear thevalue of the parameter which has reached the predetermined valueconcerned and to maintain the values of other parameters. For example,in the example in FIG. 3, it is able to set accumulation of the stars tozero in regard to the parameter for which 6 stars have been accumulatedand to maintain accumulation of the stars for other parameters. Theplayer is able to maintain motivation for playing by clearing only thevalues of some parameters and maintaining accumulation of the values ofother parameters in this way after the privilege has been granted. Thatis, the player is able to maintain motivation for playing by furtheraccumulating the value in regard to the parameter the value of which isaccumulated and expecting to obtain other privileges still after theprivilege has been granted. As a result, it is allowed to realize thegame of higher entertaining property.

Process Flow

Next, a flow of a process of accumulating the point (the value of theparameter) in accordance with the number of the predetermined symbolsdisplayed on the display device 102 after rotation of the reels has beenstopped and granting the privilege to the player in accordance with theaccumulated point concerned in the slot game in the processing executedin the game apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

The control unit 201 develops the software program stored in the storagedevice 204 and so forth on the memory 203 and performs execution thereofand so forth and thereby this process is executed by cooperation betweenthe program (the software) and the hardware that the game apparatus 100has. Incidentally, it is possible to execute respective process stepsincluded in the process flow which will be described in the following byoptionally changing the order or in parallel with one another within arange not inducing a contradiction in process details. In addition,another step may be added between the respective process steps withinthe range not inducing the contradiction in process details. Inaddition, it is possible to execute the step which is described as onestep for convenience by dividing into the plurality of steps and, on theother hand, it is possible to grasp the one which is described by beingdivided into the plurality of steps for convenience as one step.Incidentally, since the process details of the respective process stepshave already been described, they are omitted here.

First, in step S11, the control unit 201 starts execution of the slotgame in accordance with putting-in of the bet for the game and operationinstructions to the game apparatus 100 by the player and moves the gameforward. That is, the control unit 201 manages execution of the game.Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S12. Incidentally, the slotgame concerned may be the normal game or the free game. When it is thefree game, bet putting-in for starting it is not needed.

In step S12, the control unit 201 controls so as to read a plurality ofreel images comprising symbol images out of the storage device 204, tospin the plurality of reels (for example, 5 reels) and to display thevideo image that spinning concerned has been stopped at thepredetermined timing on the display device 102. The plurality of symbolsis indicated on each reel. When the reels are spinning, the control unit201 controls so as to display the symbols indicated at the positionsaccording to the state of spinning in the plurality of symbols indicatedon the reels on the display device 102 while scrolling them sequentiallyand so as to stop scrolling for display at the predetermined timing.Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S13.

In step S13, the control unit 201 decides whether the displayed numberof the predetermined symbols (for example, the symbol S1 in the examplein FIG. 3) which has been displayed on the display device 102 afterscrolling (spinning of the reels) for symbol display has been stoppedsatisfies the predetermined condition or not. In the present embodiment,it is allowed to set such a condition that the displayed number of thepredetermined symbols is, for example, 5, 4 or 3 as the predeterminedcondition concerned. In a case where the condition concerned issatisfied (Yes in step S13), the process proceeds to step S14, and in acase where the condition concerned is not satisfied (No in step S13),the process proceeds to step S18.

In step S14, the control unit 201 controls so as to read the value ofthe parameter which has been set in advance in correspondence with thedisplayed number of the predetermined symbols which is specified in theresult of display after scrolling has been stopped in the plurality ofparameters out of the storage device 204, to increase the read-out valueof the parameter concerned by a predetermined amount and to write itinto the storage device 204. In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, when5 symbols S1 have been displayed on the display device 102 afterrotation of the reels has been stopped, the value of the parameterindicated on the gauge 36 which has been set in correspondence with thedisplayed number 5 is increased. Thereafter, the process proceeds tostep S15.

In step S15, the control unit 201 reads the values of all the parametersout of the storage device 204 and decides whether there exists theparameter the value of which has reached the predetermined value (forexample, 6 stars have been saved) in the plurality of parameters. In acase where there exists the parameter which has reached thepredetermined value (Yes in step S15), the process proceeds to step S16and in the other case (No in step S15), the process proceeds to stepS18.

In step S16, the control unit 201 controls so as to grant the privilegewhich has been set in advance in correspondence with the parameter whichhas been decided to reach the predetermined value in step S15.Specifically, granting of the privilege means that, for example, thecontrol unit 201 writes the data indicating that it is possible for theplayer who will receive granting of the privilege to utilize theprivilege concerned into the storage device 204. For example, as theprivileges, the credit and the right to play the free game are grantedto the player. In a case where the privilege is the right to play thefree game, the control unit 201 decides whether it is possible for thetarget player to play the free game or not on the basis of the datawritten into the storage device 204 at a later predetermined timing andis capable of starting execution of the free game when it has beendecided to be possible.

In step S17, the control unit 201 reads the value of the parameter outof the storage device 204, clears the value of the parameter which hasreached the predetermined value and writes the value of the parameterconcerned into the storage device 204. In regard to the values of otherparameters, they are maintained without being updated. For example, inthe example in FIG. 3, in regard to the parameter for which 6 stars havebeen accumulated, accumulation of the stars is set to zero andaccumulation of the stars for other parameters are maintained.

In step S18, the control unit 201 performs predetermined processing forterminating the game, and next in step S19, the control unit 201 decideswhether playing of the game is terminated or not in accordance withpresence/absence of putting-in of the bet for the game and the operationinstruction to the game apparatus 100 by the player. In a case where ithas been decided to terminate it (Yes in step S19), the processillustrated in FIG. 5 is terminated, and in the other case (No in stepS19), the process proceeds to step S11.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the valueof the parameter which has been accumulated in accordance with theresult of each game has reached the predetermined value, the privilegewhich has been set in advance in correspondence with the parameter whichhas reached the predetermined value concerned is granted. As a result,it is allowed to stepwise raise expectations of the player for theprivileges throughout the plurality of games. Accordingly, it is allowedto realize the game of higher entertaining property.

Altered Example

The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodimentsand may be performed by adding other various alterations within a rangenot deviating from the gist of the present disclosure. That is, theabove-mentioned embodiments are merely illustrative in all respects,shall not be interpreted limitedly and may adopt various alteredexamples.

TABLE OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   100 game apparatus    -   101 loudspeaker    -   102 display device    -   103 operation input device    -   104 card reading device    -   105 bill putting-in device    -   106 ticket ejecting device    -   201 control unit    -   202 CPU    -   203 memory    -   204 storage device    -   205 voice processing unit    -   206 image processing unit    -   207 communication unit    -   208 peripheral device interface

What is claimed is:
 1. A game apparatus comprising a control unit and astorage unit, wherein the control unit is configured to execute aprogram stored in the storage unit and thereby to carry out actionscomprising: displaying one or more symbols on a display device;increasing, in accordance with the displayed symbols, a value of aparameter which has been set in advance in correspondence with adisplayed number of predetermined symbols in a plurality of pre-setparameters; when the value of the parameter has reached a predeterminedvalue, storing, in a database, data indicating that a user has beengranted a privilege according to the parameter which has reached thepredetermined value concerned; and clearing the value of the parameterwhile maintaining the values of other parameters that have been set inaccordance with a displayed number of symbols that are different fromthe predetermined symbols.
 2. The game apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the more valuable privilege the granting function grants, themore number of the predetermined symbols which has been set in advancein correspondence with the parameter which has reached the predeterminedvalue is displayed.
 3. The game apparatus according to claim 2, whereinthe more number of times the granting function grants a right to play afree game as the privilege, the more number of the predetermined symbolswhich has been set in advance in correspondence with the parameter whichhas reached the predetermined value is displayed.
 4. The game apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the parameter controlling functiondetermines an amount of the parameter to be increased by lottery.
 5. Agame apparatus comprising: a control unit; and a storage unit outof/into which data reading and writing are made from the control unit,wherein the control unit is programmed: to manage execution of a game,to read one or a plurality of symbol(s) out of the storage unit, to makethe read-out one or plurality of symbols for every playing of the gamedisplayed, to read a value of a parameter which has been set in advancein correspondence with a displayed number of predetermined symbols in aplurality of parameters which has been set in advance out of the storageunit, to increase, in accordance with the displayed symbol, the read-outvalue of the parameter concerned by a predetermined amount and to writethe increased value into the storage unit, to read the values of theplurality of parameters out of the storage unit and to decide whetherthe value of any of the parameters reaches a predetermined value, towrite data indicating that it is possible to utilize a privilegeaccording to the parameter which has reached the predetermined valueconcerned into the storage unit when it has been decided that the valueof the parameter reaches the predetermined value; and to clear the valueof the parameter while maintaining the values of a remainder of theplurality of parameters that have been set in accordance with adisplayed number of symbols that are different from the predeterminedsymbols.
 6. A game controlling method which is performed by a gameapparatus which possesses a control unit and a storage unit, the methodcomprising: displaying one or more symbols on a display device;increasing, in accordance with the displayed symbol, a value of aparameter which has been set in advance in correspondence with adisplayed number of predetermined symbols in a plurality of pre-setparameters; when the value of the parameter has reached a predeterminedvalue, storing, in a database, data indicating that a user has beengranted a privilege according to the parameter which has reached thepredetermined value concerned, and clearing the value of the parameterwhile maintaining the values of other parameters that have been set inaccordance with a displayed number of symbols that are different fromthe predetermined symbols.